Alarm over fire Bill

Committee tells Andrews to halt MFB shake-up plans

THE Andrews Government’s controversial restructure of the fire services has been slammed by the parliamentary committee charged with reviewing the proposed changes.

The Government has been told to immediately withdraw the Bill in a report authored by three Coalition MPs and Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MP Daniel Young.

A minority report by four Labor and Greens members recommended passing the Bill with a number of amendments.

As chair, Liberal MP Gordon Rich-Phillips was able to use his casting vote to deliver the majority report, saying: “In the committee’s view, the gov- ernment’s consultation on the proposed restructure to Victoria’s fire services has been inadequate, and in the case of consultation with volunteers, in contravention of the Act.”

In the report, Emergency Services Minister James Merlino was found to have tried to “frustrate the committee” by blocking access to a fire services sexism and bullying study.

The committee found the impact on the state’s critical surge capacity to deal with major incidents “was disputed”. It recommended that part of the Bill — providing presumptive rights compensation for firefighters suffering from cancer — should be resubmitted.

The Government was slammed for its lack of consul- tation before introducing the Bill, and was found to not have well-developed plans for how changes would be achieved.

Under the proposed changes, the Metropolitan Fire Brigade would be abolished and replaced by a new agency, Fire Rescue Victoria, while the Country Fire Authority would be turned into a purely volunteer service.